Colin Farrell pushed his friend Emma Fogarty, who lives with the rare skin condition epidermolysis bullosa (EB), in a wheelchair for the final 4 kilometers of the Dublin Marathon to raise funds for the Irish charity DEBRA. Fogarty, who is Ireland’s oldest surviving person with EB, was born with no skin on her left foot and right arm, causing excruciatingly painful blisters from the slightest touch. Individuals with EB lack essential proteins that hold the skin layers together, making it fragile and prone to tearing and blistering.
Fogarty, who turned 40 in June, and Farrell had hoped to raise €400,000 for DEBRA but are now aiming for a million euros. They appeared on Ireland’s “The Late Late Show” where Farrell said he was pushing Fogarty 1 kilometer for every decade of her life. The pair successfully completed the marathon, with Farrell finishing in just over 4 hours.
Fogarty expressed her gratitude to Farrell for pushing her in the race, stating that she trusts no one more than him to help her through the final stretch. The photos from the marathon show Farrell beaming while pushing a cheering Fogarty, who had her arms in the air. The funds raised will support people living with EB and help raise awareness about this incurable genetic condition.
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